Majority of independent garages voted leave but is Theresa May’s deal what you voted for?

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, with David Davis, former Brexit secretary discussing the future for the UK automotive sector following Brexit in 2016.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has backed Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement, warning that a ‘no-deal’ Brexit will be a catastrophic blow to the British automotive industry.

The draft Brexit withdrawal agreement stands at 599 pages long and sets out how the UK will leave the European Union on 29 March 2019.

The House of Commons is now expected to deliver its verdict on the deal in January.

The draft includes a transition period which will begin on 29 March 2019 and last until 31 December 2020 during which the UK will need to abide by all EU rules, but will lose membership of its institutions.

Automotive industry response

The SMMT has said a Brexit withdrawal deal and transition is essential “to prevent the industry falling off the cliff-edge”.

An SMMT survey found that 74 per cent of automotive companies with UK operations said that a ‘no-deal’ scenario would damage their business, with fewer than nine per cent foreseeing any positive impact.

More than half claim that their operations have already suffered as a result of uncertainty about future trading arrangements.

“Catastrophic”

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Frictionless trade as part of the EU single market and customs union has driven the success of the UK automotive industry so the fact we are leaving is already painful, and already causing damage.

“Leaving without a deal would be catastrophic – plants will close; jobs will be lost.

“Leaving is not what we wanted, but we recognise that the withdrawal agreement has been hard-fought and, crucially, delivers a transition period which steps us back from the cliff-edge.

“We need a deal now, and we need an ambitious deal for the future that guarantees frictionless trade with our most important market – nothing else will do, and we urge all parties to remember what’s at stake.”

Rejected agreement?

However, it is widely expected that MPs will reject the withdrawal agreement and blueprint for a future trade deal agreed with the EU.

Some MPs are trying to mobilise support for a so-called “Norway Plus” option, which they claim could win support across the House of Commons.

Under the plan, the current withdrawal agreement would be honoured but the UK would seek to rejoin the European Free Trade Association (Efta), which it belonged to before entering the European Economic Community in 1973.

In 2016 a GW reader survey, in which 80 per cent of respondents claimed to have voted leave, two thirds of garages believed Brexit would benefit their business. Do you believe Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement will benefit independent garages or are you calling on MPs to vote against the deal? Share your comments below.

A small majority of 1.9% voted leave based on little or no information and misleading statements by both factions at the time of the referendum. This alone should have been enoughh to invalidate the referendum but now with so much more information to go on it must be clear to any rational human being that a final Peoples Vote is the only possible way forward from the current mess!¬

We were lied to in 1973 and we are being lied to today, this is the way all governments work. Governments are only interested in helping the establishment and their friends in the city. If you thought that Cameron was doing you favour by giving us a vote on the eu you are a mug. We are all slaves and regardless of what happens someone will be telling you what to do.

in 2016 the referendum was called in response to demand, the votes were cast and leave (which I voted for) won. so far we have heard excuses that not everybody voted, we should give youngsters the vote and expats too. lies and half truths were spun as they have been since long before we were born. the truth of it is that back in 1974? when we joined warnings were given on the impact of joining by many and ignored. without doubt if we had known back then the impact of immigration and free movement on the UKs services, housing, education and NHS and the ridiculous cost of membership together with having lost most of our fisheries, agriculture restrictions and laws made by these idiots we would have turned right around and pulled out. contrary to belief the world is not flat and no dragons or sea monsters dwell in it. the world wants to trade with us and we have some of the finest manufacturers and engineers in the world. lets get on with it.
I would add that I have not met a single person who voted leave that has changed their minds.

Mrs May’s negotiations have left us with the likelihood that we will be trapped as an EU ‘client’ state for as long as the EU wish. We get few of the advantages ‘leave’ voters voted for and no say in whatever rules are applied from now on. I am sure that any experienced motor trade negotiator would have done better than those involved in these EU talks. In truth, Mrs May and her principal advisor, Mr Robbins, are ‘remainers’ at heart and so have served up Brexit in name, but not in fact. The UK should have been planning hard for a WTO exit and we would have been in a position to leave with the least disruption; such a position would have focussed Mr Barnier’s mind !

Sadly the 2016 which got us into this mess cannot be annulled by the courts. Why? Because it was purely ADVISORY. A general election won’t resolve anything since the Labour party is equally divided over Brexit. It took a referendum to get us into this mess, and only another one will get us out of it. How ironic that Mrs May thought she could circumvent parliament by appealing direct to public, whilst at the same time steadfastly refusing the people their legitimate democratic voice. If she’s really not prepared to deliver a people’s vote, then she must go and make way for someone who will.

Brexit is the only worthwhile future for our country.
I would accept Mrs May’s proposed deal for the first year after 29/03/19 provided she would NOW give us all the details of Step 2 which would be effective for the next year and guarantee that Step 3, total Brexit would occur on 29/03/2021.

I voted to leave the EU, I still want out, we should NOT have had a REMAINER to get us out, biased interest,
she has NOT done what the MAJORITY voted for, but made an absolute MESS OF IT, scaremongering & lies, we no it will be tough but we will benefit at the end, by making our own decisions etc, WHY do they want an EU ARMY, 3rd world WAR,? the have started the last 2 wars, & lost, this way they are taking us over bit by bit, our roads are flooded with german & French vehicles, we are loseing all our manufactureing, it has to stop. we need to start again, be more self sufficiant, we can trade with who we want then, if we don’t win this why did we have 2 wars with them, they need us for our money we pay them, OUT NOW

I voted out because of how I saw the situation ie I don’t want to be told what to do by countries that our parents gave their lives to liberate in 2 world wars . We cant keep cramming people on this island – look ata map to see how bigger most European countries are . The European Free Trade association was fine and as far as we needed to go . The other aspect is the cost – we have homeless heros – that shouldn’t be ! Just a part of that money redirected into the NHS would be fantastic.

It’s been a stitch up since before the vote. There was no way on earth that they were going to even try to get a good deal. That way, there would be an outcry to have another vote.
I bet a penny to a pinch of s… that if there is another vote, ity would be to stay, accept the deal of leave with no deal, therefore dividing the leave vote.
Why can’t they just get on with it properly?

I voted leave , I now what I voted for , the problem is with MP they never ever thought we would vote leave , they are out of touch with normal people in the uk ,,they should carry out vote the uk voted for , not all the rubbish that the pm is saying . we should leave with no deal , that way the eu can come back to us

we are all looking at a mess created by politicians who have no grasp on real life
what should we do simple adopt a French attitude and take our cars and vans and block downing street and make the government come out to talk to us,we are a major uk industry that is undervalued and underpaid for our skills do any of you fancy joining me in a blockade ??

I keep seeing these same things mentioned (but only by those who voted Remain!) the referendum was only advisory, the Leave voters were all old, the Leave voters were uneducated, the Leave voters didn’t know what they were doing, and so on and so on.
But the facts are that we were told that the result of the referendum would be acted upon, we’re not all old, we’re certainly not all uneducated and of course we knew what we were voting for. God knows Cameron did all he could to tell us NOT to vote leave!
And I’m convinced that IF we have another referendum (and I don’t see why we should) AND the questions aren’t rigged there will be an even bigger majority for leave. What will the Remain camp say then? Best out of three?
But in this hypothetical second attempt I suspect the questions will be rigged.